Living Our Dreams

OK – I admit it – I’m secretly somewhat of a ham. Well, maybe not so secretly. I tried theatre in high school, where I learned I couldn’t act. I could sing, though, and chorus parts were plentiful. So I absolutely loved it when I was asked to sing with the band at Market Street. Actually, I think Kathy’s daughter Therese was really the one asked to sing with the band, but since I happened to be there with her, I got to chime in, too. Sing with a band – one more checkmark on my “bucket list.”

Our brief program at our Market Street Event focused on young women living their dreams. Our Women’s Opportunity Award winner shared how much our award had helped her to continue her education. A Horizonte graduate shared how the Young Parents Program helped her step up out of an abusive relationship and how our support with books has helped her achieve her Associate Degree and move on to University.

We had a special guest – a single mother who, in addition to raising four daughters and continuing her own education, started a school in Kenya so hundreds of other children could achieve their dreams of an education.

The money we raised at Market Street will go a long way to help our club continue to help women and girls to live their dreams. Kudos, Soroptimists, for a wonderful event!

Who's Minding the Zoo?

At our District I / II Fall Meeting in Blackfoot, Idaho, Sarah Ochoa, Child Development Program Director of the Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska, had us take a brief assessment to determine our “inner animal” personality. Were we Beavers? Otters? Lions? Golden Retrievers?

The results were both amusing and telling. Members who had taken the assessment previously knew before we started what my dominant animal would be. But it seemed most of us were pretty well rounded in our animal personalities. And Sarah went on to share with us that we can learn to call upon our less dominant animals in times of need. So when I need to be exact, I call on my inner Beaver. When I need to be fun, I call on my inner Otter. When I need to make sure everyone else is OK, I call on my inner Golden Retriever. And finally, when I need to be forceful or to confront, I call on my inner Lion.

I won’t tell too much more because we are hoping to bring this exercise to the club. It will be fun to learn the makeup of the “zoo” we call SI of Salt Lake.